By Ahmad El Moussaoui
2022 was a fantastic year for Hollywood. With box office hits like Avatar: The Way of Water and Top Gun: Maverick, and indie films like Everything Everywhere All At Once and The Whale, there was more competition than ever before during the award season. And just last week, the Oscars took place. The event amassed a whopping 18.7 million viewers–a 12% increase from last year’s ratings. While the Oscars received a lot of backlash for its snubs, the general public was mostly pleased with the wins of the year. Here are the most memorable moments of the night.
Jamie Lee Curtis takes home Best Supporting Actress
In maybe the biggest snub of the night, Jamie Lee Curtis wins Best Supporting Actress over Angela Bassett’s performance in Black Panther: Wakanda Forever and her co-star Stephanie Hsu. During the precursor awards, Angela Bassett was sweeping the awards and became the leading lady of the category. However, her chances lessened when Curtis took home the SAG award and gave a moving speech. Since the SAG voters intersect with the Oscars, Angela Bassett’s chances of winning became slimmer as time went on. It is obvious that JLC took the award for her history in Hollywood, as she is a legend in her own right. Nevertheless, the same argument can be brought up in Angela Bassett’s case as she has been repeatedly snubbed by the Oscars even with her status in the industry. Stephanie Hsu was also majorly overlooked by the Academy although she arguably gave the strongest performance in Everything Everywhere All At Once. If either Stephanie Hsu or Anegla Bassett won, it would have been the first year where ¾ of the acting awards were awarded to people of colour–a missed opportunity by the Academy. Many people came to JLC’s defence, however, especially because Angela Bassett did not clap when Curtis’’s name was announced. Some took to the internet to address her unsportsmanship-like behaviour, as it is still an honour to even be nominated. Conversely, others argued that she was trying to hold back her emotions, especially in front of her children who were loudly rooting for her in the interviews prior to the event. Both women are amazing actors, and icons of the industry, but the Academy should continue to be questioned as Black actors always get the short end of the stick.
Ke Huy Quan
That’s it. Ke Huy Quan. Following the decades of racism in Hollywood, Quan came back to the industry with his role in Everything Everywhere All At Once. He won the Best Supporting Actor Oscar by a long shot, as he had won every single major award prior to the event. His speech was the most moving, as he looked straight into the camera with tears pouring down his face and said, “Mom, I won an Oscar!” He allowed his inner-child to come out during the night, taking pictures of every celebrity, jumping in interviews, and running to hug old colleagues. Maybe the most emotional moment of the night, when Everything Everywhere All At Once was announced as the Best Picture winner, Ke Huy Quan went on stage and was reunited with his very first co-star and old friend, Harrison Ford. Many took to the internet to express that it was the first time they had seen Ford look so happy in the industry. Ke Huy Quan is a gem of a man, and he must be protected at all costs.
Black Panther: Wakanda Forever wins Best Costume Design
While the MCU is seen as lesser-than by the Academy, Black Panther always seems to be the exception. Wakanda Forever continues the streak set by the original and nabs the costume design category. Ruth Carter, the designer of both films, became the very first Black woman to win two Oscars–a historic win. However, though Ruth Carter sets a record, it is saddening that there has only been one Black woman to win two Oscars in the 100 years of the Academy. Although I’d hope that the doors have been broken, there just is not enough Black women winning, let alone being nominated by the Academy.
Brendan Fraser wins Best Actor
Brendan Fraser gave a stunning performance in The Whale, and he was set to win the Oscar for Best Actor since the film’s release. Fraser is an actor the industry has treated very poorly, after he was assaulted by the President of Hollywood Foreign Press and later blacklisted from the Academy. To watch him go on stage and receive the flowers he so rightfully deserves is nothing short of wholesome.
The Oscar for Best Actress goes to Michelle Yeoh
The closest Oscar race was between Cate Blanchett and Michelle Yeoh for Best Actress. Earlier awards were split between them half-half, and so it was truly a toss up as to who would take home the Oscar. When Yeoh was announced, she had not only made history, but she broke down doors for all women of colour. She became the first Asian actress to win this award, and only the second women of colour to win following Halle Berry’s win in 2002. You heard that right, only two women of colour have ever won Best Actress in the history of the Academy. To make the win even better, Halle Berry announced Yeoh’s win, a beautiful moment seeing unity between two women of colour. Many people believe Blanchett was the deserved winner, and whether true or not, she was also rooting for Yeoh as she had already won two Oscars before. It’s not everyday that the Academy awards women like Yeoh, but when they do, it’s important to acknowledge the history created rather than assume it’s undeserving.
Everything Everywhere All At Once Sweeps
With 11 nominations, Everything Everywhere All At Once took home 7 wins. The film set the record for most above-the-line wins, taking home 3 of the acting categories and Best Director, Original Screenplay, and Best Picture. That’s 6/8 above-the-line wins (the other two were categories for which the film wasn’t nominated.) With A24 producing Everything Everywhere All At Once and The Whale, it became one of the first low-budget companies to sweep the Academy and upset many higher-budget films.
Snubs
Tar, The Banshees of Inisherin, Elvis, The Fablemans and Babylon ended the night with zero wins. Although Elvis was not loved by the critics or the general public, Austin Butler put in a stellar performance as Elvis and many people believe he was the most deserving winner. Tar suffered a similar fate. The film was loved, but it only had a chance of winning through Cate Blanchet’s performance as the lead, which many call her best performance to date. Composer Hurwitz lost the Oscar for Original Score for Babylon to All Quiet on the Western Front, an upset which surprised many people as Babylon was greatly praised for its astounding score. As for The Fablemans and The Banshees of Inisherin, while both deserving films, they lost all their nominations because of the Everything Everywhere All At Once Sweep.
There you have it! If you want to see the full list of winners, click here: https://www.cnn.com/2023/03/12/entertainment/oscar-winners-2023/index.html What do you think were the biggest snubs of the night?